


Rainy Day Hero

by DaronwyK



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, Not A Christmas Movie, Severus Snape Lives, it kinda is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:28:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21879637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaronwyK/pseuds/DaronwyK
Summary: Stuck in a Hotel Room, two unlikely people share some Christmas Magic.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 13
Kudos: 91
Collections: Hermione's Holiday Hideaway 2019





	Rainy Day Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Hermione's Haven Holiday Hideaway. Much love to my Beta Runaway Pen, and I hope you all enjoy! All usual Disclaimers apply.

Severus rubbed his temple as he sat at the window, watching the rain pour down. This was possibly the most miserable Christmas he could remember. It was nearly the end of his assigned years as an Unspeakable, and he’d simply wanted to run out his last year in some peace and relative quiet. Why he was sitting in an overpriced hotel, at Christmas time, with possibly the most insufferable know-it-all he’d ever had this misfortune to come across…he just didn’t know. Someone higher up in the department must have been intent on making his final months a living hell. Penance for past acts, indeed.

“Any sign of them?” An altogether too perky voice interrupted his mental tirade.

“Miss Granger, it is pouring rain and Christmas Eve. There is absolutely no one moving about the docks.” He looked over at her. “As I said there wouldn’t be. If you wish to further this ridiculous assignment, I suggest you watch the window yourself.”

“My source was adamant that the smugglers were using this dock.” Hermione sighed and came over to take his place.

“I fail to see why we’re here at all, this seems more like something that falls under MACUSA’s jurisdiction.” Severus stretched and walked over to the tray she’d brought in. He poured himself some coffee and added a fair amount of sugar and cream to it. “Victoria, British Columbia is hardly in Britain, name notwithstanding.”

“Because they’re moving animals bred illegally in the UK.” Hermione shot him an unfriendly look.

“A matter for the Aurors, not Unspeakables or intrepid Clerks from the Creature’s Division. Surely your friend, Potter, would be all too happy to some and play detective with you.” He snorted.

Hermione frowned and turned back to the window, not responding to the taunt.

“Or was I not your first choice?” he asked.

“If you must know…the Auror department didn’t feel my information was credible.” Hermione sighed. “Harry told me I should just let it go. So I took it to Kingsley and he suggested that the Unspeakables lend you to me for the investigation,” she said somewhat sheepishly.

“Of course, because *I* would have nothing better to do over the holidays.” He frowned and sat down on the bed.

“Did you?” Hermione looked over, appearing a little guilty.

“Simply because I’m not married, engaged, or otherwise attached, doesn’t mean that I don’t have traditions I observe over the holidays, Miss Granger.” He turned on the television and started flicking though the channels.

“I’m sorry…I really thought my source could be trusted.” She sighed and pushed away from the window and set a monitoring charm. It would go off as soon as something moved outside.

“Done is done.” He sighed.

“What do you like to do on Christmas Eve?” Hermione asked and perched on the second bed.

Severus looked over at her and mentally sighed. He had opened himself up to the question and they were stuck here for another few days. If the forecast was accurate, they had a very rainy Christmas to look forward to and little escape from this room. It couldn’t hurt to have a semi-civil conversation with her.

“If you must know, I watch Christmas movies.” He braced himself for the inevitable scorn.

“Really? My parents and I used to do that every year.” Hermione smiled brightly. “There has to be some on the tv, why don’t you put one on and I’ll call for some dinner to be brought up. If the Ministry’s picking up the tab, we might as well enjoy it.”

“I suppose,” he said and started looking for something. He chuckled and clicked on a program, certain that it would annoy the reason for his ruined Holiday. It was a Christmas movie, by the loosest definition.

“What is that?” she asked, coming across the room.

“A Christmas move. Obviously,” he drawled.

“That is not a Christmas movie.” Hermione flopped down on her bed.

“It takes place around Christmas. There’s even a Christmas tree in it as I recall.” Severus smirked a little.

“Lethal Weapon? Sure, it’s a real heartwarming tale of seasonal joy.” Hermione shot him a look.

Severus couldn’t help it, he started laughing. It almost sounded like one of his own scathing comments, and coming out of the bookworm of the sainted ‘Golden Trio’ it was almost precious.

“Miss Granger, I do believe you need to expand your horizons. It’s a story about two unlikely partners, coming together to solve a crime and forging a deep, meaningful friendship along the way. Surely you can see the paralells.” He chuckled.

Hermione shot him a look, but didn’t further her protests. She kicked off her shoes and settled back against her pillows to start watching the movie with him.

They paused briefly when dinner arrived, but surprisingly, it was Miss Granger that reached for the remote to restart the movie, watching raptly. She seemed to be enjoying it, despite her previous protests. As the movie intensified, he found himself watching her somewhat more than the screen. She had changed a great deal since the war, coming into herself in a way that was hard to pin down. As a girl, she’d always struck him as horridly insecure. Her hand-waving and excessive essay writing, compensation for those things she felt she lacked. It had reminded him uncomfortably of himself at that age.

Now, eight years later and a half a world away, he allowed himself to forget the girl she’d been to see the witch she was now. She had beautiful hands, delicate but there were tiny scars here and there that told him they were useful hands. A faint round scar on her wrist told him she did her own brewing, even though it was generally less expensive to purchase ready-made draughts than invest in equipment, ingredients and most importantly, time. She could be scathing and sarcastic, but she’d gone to this far-flung place to try and protect a bunch of baby Occamys from being sold into the illegal animal trade.

She was also quite attractive, particularly when she was chewing on her bottom lip like she was doing right now.

“I thought most wizards celebrated Yule, not Christmas,” Hermione said, turning her face to look at him as Riggs was electrocuted on the television.

“I’m a half-blood, mum tried very hard to convince my father that we were a normal family at least once a year,” Severus said. “I used to call it the Great Christmas Truce.” He shook his head a little. “But mum would bake cookies and we’d watch Christmas specials together. It was almost nice.” There had been few warm memories of his childhood, but some of those Christmas nights had come close.

“I really am sorry for dragging you all the way out here.” She sighed. “Those occamys are probably long gone.” She looked almost mournful.

“We still have a few days, they might turn up.” Severus had an idea, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up.

“I wish everything could end happily, like the movies.” Hermione looked back at the TV.

“The Ministry is probably thrilled that our excursion didn’t end like this movie. The obliviation teams alone would have been staggering.”

“It certainly would have resulted in a lot of paperwork.” Hermione chuckled a little.

“Why don’t you get some sleep and I’ll take a walk down on the docks. Just in case your monitoring charm missed anything,” Severus said and got up, putting their dishes on the cart. He pulled his coat on and turned up the collar to give him some protection from the cold rain.

“Are you sure?”

“Very.” Severus nodded and left the room.

* * *

Hermione woke to soft light filtering through the curtains. She instantly frowned when she saw Snape’s bed hadn’t been slept in. She grabbed her wand a cast a quick tempus, it was nearly 9:30. Where was Snape? She got up and nearly shrieked when the door opened and Snape staggered in, cradling a large wooden box. He was bloody and looked like death. She quickly closed the door behind him and helped him down to the bed, taking the box.

“Don’t open it,” he said. “Your occamy hatchlings are inside.” He managed to get out through gritted teeth. “Happy Christmas.”

Hermione set the box aside and went to grab her purse, summoning a bevy of healing supplies and carefully tending to his wounds. There were cuts, burns, and something that looked like he’d been splashed with acid. She shook her head and patched him up, before sitting back and giving him a look of exasperation.

“What in Merlin’s name did you do?” Hermione shook her head.

“I went looking for your hatchlings at the Black Bazar.” He continued at her blank expression. “It’s an underground market and runs out of Peddler’s Bay. Sometimes, I have to obtain potions ingredients through less than legal means, it lets me know where to look.”

“Why didn’t you take me with you? You could have been killed!” she said.

“Because you look, talk, and feel like a government official, and I’d never have found them with you there,” Severus said. “Strangely, people have no problem believing I’m looking for something illicit. Must be the nose.” He laid back on the bed and groaned. “I’m afraid I made a bit of mess, though nothing that will get traced back to us.”

Hermione just gaped at him for a moment, before going to check on the hatchlings. A diagnostic revealed they were healthy, and in a suitable containment environment. She let out a sigh, understanding how Roger must have felt dealing with Riggs. A mixture of awe and exasperation. She went over to the bed and leaned down. On a whim, she brushed a kiss against his lips.

“Thank you, and Happy Christmas, Severus.” She gave him a soft smile. It really had been a sweet gesture, and she’d have to find a way to properly thank him. At least, once they had the hatchlings safely to a sanctuary.

~Fin


End file.
